05/06/2008
Miller & Chevalier Adds Anne Batter and Thomas Cryan, Jr. to Nationally Recognized Employee Benefits Practice
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Seasoned Team Deepens Firm's Employee Benefits and Tax Capabilities
Washington, D.C., May 7, 2008 - Miller & Chevalier Chartered today announced that Anne G. Batter and Thomas M. Cryan, Jr. have joined the firm's Employee Benefits practice as Members. They both join the firm from Baker & McKenzie, where they previously practiced in that firm's Executive Compensation and Fringe Benefits group.
Batter will play a strategic role in the Employee Benefits group's executive compensation practice, with a particular focus on working with clients implementing changes in response to the new deferred compensation and section 162(m) rules. Cryan brings added depth and experience in the areas of fringe benefits, executive perks and payroll taxes.
"We are extremely pleased to welcome Anne and Tom to Miller & Chevalier," said Fred Oliphant, the head of Miller & Chevalier's Employee Benefits practice. "The firm continues to invest significantly in building a broader platform to provide consulting, planning and controversy services to the firm's clients with respect to all aspects of employer-provided benefits. Anne and Tom bring recognized and deep experience in tax areas critical to clients as they navigate increased government regulation and scrutiny of executive compensation, fringe benefit and payroll tax issues."
Added Marianna Dyson, Chair of Miller & Chevalier and a member of the firm's Employee Benefits practice: "I am very excited to have the opportunity to practice with Anne and Tom again. They both have significant tax controversy experience, which will expand and deepen our recognized capabilities in our Employee Benefits and Tax practices. Miller & Chevalier offers clients the advantage of one-stop employee benefits shopping, featuring experience in qualified plans, nonqualified deferred compensation, equity compensation, non-ERISA fringe benefits, health and welfare benefits, payroll taxes, worker classification, information reporting, and penalty abatement. Anne's and Tom's addition to our practice will be of great strategic advantage to clients."
Recognized Employee Benefits Practice
Miller & Chevalier's employee benefits and employment tax practice represents many of America's largest companies, as well as some of the world's biggest non-U.S. companies. The practice has nationally recognized experience in payroll taxes, cross-border compensation, retirement and welfare arrangements, executive compensation, and shareholder disclosure. In addition to advising clients on the day-to-day compliance issues, the practice has a successful track record of guiding companies through complex and high-stakes projects. Miller & Chevalier's experience and capabilities in the employee benefits area are broad-based in nature, featuring critical experience in regulatory, ERISA litigation, and legislative matters.
"Our practices fit perfectly with Miller & Chevalier's Employee Benefits and Tax Groups," said Batter. "We are very excited about working closely with the firm's 15 other benefits lawyers to help our clients navigate issues in this increasingly complex and regulated business environment. In addition, we are looking forward to accessing the firm's significant experience in areas, including health and welfare benefits, qualified plans, financial products and instruments, and tax-exempt organizations."
"Miller & Chevalier's Employee Benefits practice has an established reputation for its quality and ability to provide the full scope of representation, from planning, consulting and designing programs to controversy, litigation and settlement, " said Cryan. "Our experience both broadens and deepens the firm's existing platform, and the combined resources and capabilities will enhance our existing client relationships through a well-rounded and cutting edge employee benefits practice."
About Anne Batter
Batter has over twenty years of experience in the tax, executive compensation, employee benefits, and employment tax areas. Her practice involves consulting with clients, handling tax audits and controversies, and drafting and amending compensation plans, including equity plans, grant agreements, deferred compensation plans, incentive plans, and employment and change-in-control arrangements. She has particular experience in tax issues surrounding deferred compensation, stock options and warrants, section 83 property, section 162(m) performance-based plans, corporate aircraft, settlement payments, statutory fringe benefits, and excise taxes. In addition, she has represents clients before the IRS, Treasury and Congress in connection with policy advocacy.
Prior to joining Baker & McKenzie, Batter practiced at Weil, Gotshal & Manges. Before that, she served as a senior attorney in the Office of IRS Associate Chief Counsel (Income Tax & Accounting). She began her career serving as a clerk to Judge Arnold Raum of the United States Tax Court. Batter holds a B.A. summa cum laude from the University of Maryland and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.
About Thomas Cryan, Jr.
Cryan focuses his practice principally in the employee benefits and information reporting areas, concentrating on the income and employment tax treatment of settlement payments, nonqualified deferred compensation, travel benefits, and the deductibility to employers of benefits such as meals and corporate aircraft.
Prior to joining Baker & McKenzie, he practiced with Weil, Gotshal & Manges. Before that, he served as a law clerk to the Honorable Joel Gerber of the Unites States Tax Court. Cryan holds a B.A. cum laude from Washington and Lee University, a J.D. magna cum laude from George Mason University School of Law and an LL.M. from Georgetown University Law Center.
About Miller & Chevalier
Founded in 1920, Miller & Chevalier is a leading Washington, D.C. law firm with more than 90 attorneys who practice in the areas of international, tax, employee benefits and ERISA, litigation, fraud and white collar criminal defense, and government affairs. For more information on the firm, visit our website at www.millerchevalier.com.
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CONTACTS:
Marianna Dyson, Chair
Miller & Chevalier
202-626-5867
Fred Oliphant, Chair
Miller & Chevalier Employee Benefits Practice
202-626-5834
Anne Batter, Member
Miller & Chevalier Employee Benefits Practice
202-626-1473
Tom Cryan, Jr., Member
Miller & Chevalier Employee Benefits Practice
202-626-1482
Lisa Nemon, Media Relations
GreenTarget
312-252-4108
Attachments
Batter and Cryan Press Release